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"Wild Horses" will screen during the Nov. 7-14 2013 AFI FEST Presented by Audi. Register for a slot to choose the movies you want to see, for free, by Oct. 18 at 5 p.m.

Updated at 3:31 PM PDT on Wednesday, Oct 16, 2013

There's much ballyhoo over the price of movies these days (and in past days, too; if you don't think people in 1920 had the same entertainment-based grievances, trust, they did).

But movie-based ballyhoo has a way of blotting out a number of important factors. One? You're entertained in a fairly grand way for two hours or so (we know, we know, we're inviting quibbling here, but we invite you to remember seeing your favorite film in the theater, and how much you loved the experience).

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And two? There are plenty of places to see films for free. Your local library, a city park screening series, or even your friend's house, if she owns the film. (Just be sure to be polite and show with some wine or something.)

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Yep, AFI FEST is, without quibbling, one of the world's most prestigious film festivals. Big galas, stars Q&Aing the heck out of post-screening events, tomorrow's movies today are major hallmarks. As is that celebrated free admission, which seems implausible, nay, impossible, but it is so.

Here's the deal: You must register for a time slot first. That's a time to select your free tickets, so step one is not about you getting those tickets. This is clear, right? Good. You can do that through Friday, Oct. 18 at 5 p.m.. Then you'll get an email later in the month with your time slot. There are a few bullet points to the process, so please, we implore you, beseech, even, to read all, but keep chanting "free tickets" in your head while you go through the steps. There aren't many.

Also keep Oct. 22 in mind: That's when the Program Guide'll be up and live and happening, so the full-on lookie-loo-ing can commence.

"Saving Mr. Banks" is the opening gala, but many gems, both feature-length and short, will be filling out the Chinese Theatre theaters. If tickets are free, why not surprise yourself and pick something on title and short description alone?

Movies still have the power to surprise and delight, age-old ballyhoo notwithstanding.